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Loud
| Last album = Rated R (2009) | This album = Loud (2010) | Next album = Talk That Talk (2011) |Artist= Rihanna }}Loud is the fifth studio album by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, first released on November 12, 2010, by Def Jam Recordings. The album was recorded between February and August 2010, predominantly during Rihanna's Last Girl on Earth Tour and filming for her first feature film Battleship (2012). Rihanna was executive producer on the album and worked with several record producers, including StarGate, The Runners, Polow da Don, Tricky Stewart, and Alex da Kid, among others. The album featured several guest vocalists, including Drake, Nicki Minaj and Eminem, who is featured on the sequel to "Love The Way You Lie", "Love The Way Way You Lie (Part II)", where Rihanna sang lead vocals. Britney Spears appears on the remix of the single version of "S&M", although she is not on the album version. The album differed from Rihanna's previous release, Rated R (2009), which featured a prominently foreboding and angry tone with dark themes and incorporated elements of hip hop, rock, and dubstep music genres. Loud features up-tempo and pop genres, ranging from dance-pop to electro-R&B, and marked her return to her dancehall roots, which was prominent on her earlier albums Music of the Sun (2005) and A Girl like Me (2006). The album also incorporates rock in "California King Bed" and reggae in the Caribbean inspired "Man Down". Loud received generally positive reviews from music critics, who complimented its upbeat material and Rihanna's vocal performances, with some critics calling it "brilliantly sassy and exuberant at times" and praised "the subtle West Indian flavor." However, some critics found the album to be "slapdash" and more of "an unfocused assortment of poor-to-solid songs than a unified set." The album debuted at number three on the US [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_200 Billboard 200] chart, with first week sales of 207,000 copies, the highest first week sales of her career to date. The album debuted at number one on the Canadian and Swiss Albums Chart. In the United Kingdom, the album reached number one on the UK Albums Chart and was the fourth best-selling album of 2010, although it was released at the end of November of that year. Loud was a commercial success internationally. It peaked at number one in Canada, Ireland, Japan, Norway, Scotland and Switzerland, and reached the Top 5 in Australia, Denmark, France and Germany. The album produced seven singles, including the international hits "Only Girl (In the World)", "What's My Name?", and "S&M". All three singles reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. "S&M" was Rihanna's tenth US number one song, making Rihanna the youngest recording artist to accumulate ten number one songs in the shortest time, surpassing Mariah Carey's record. In the United Kingdom "Only Girl (In the World)" and "What's My Name?" peaked at number one, while "S&M" peaked at number three. "Only Girl (In the World)" won the Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording in February 2011. To support the album, Rihanna embarked on her third worldwide concert tour, entitled the Loud Tour. On November 30, 2011, the album was nominated for three Grammy Awards including Album of the Year. Background and recording In an interview for MTV, Ne-Yo, one of the producers on Rated R, said that he would not write songs for Rihanna that were about her former boyfriend, Chris Brown,[2] but that it would not be unusual for Rihanna to have a new, "edgier" and "angrier" style for her next album.[3] The album was commercially successful and spawned five singles, including the international chart topper "Rude Boy". Six months after releasing Rated R, Rihanna began planning a fifth studio album, promising that her new material would be "more energetic" than her previous works.[4] StarGate's Tor Erik Hermansen, said "Rihanna came to us before we started recording "Only Girl (In the World)" and said ‘I feel great about myself. I want to go back to having fun, I want to make happy and up-tempo records'."[5] Sean Garrett compared the sound of the new tracks with her previous hit singles "Umbrella" and "Rude Boy".[6] In an interview for MTV, the vice president of Def Jam Recordings compared the upcoming Rihanna album with Michael Jackson's Thriller saying, "Rihanna is coming along incredibly. I’m trying to push her to where every song will be a hit from one to 12. I’m talking about NO album fillers. Our bar for this album is Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’."[6] Recording sessions for Loud began in February 2010[7] and continued for six months, overlapping with her Last Girl on Earth Tour and filming for her debut feature film Battleship (2012).[8] The album was recorded in various recording studios; Burst HQ in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Cahuenga Pass Studio, Larrabee Sound Studios, The Village, Westlake Recording Studios, and East West Studios in Los Angeles, California, Effigy Studios, Electric Lady Recording Studios, Platinum Sound Recording Studios, and Roc the Mic Studios in New York City, New York, Glenwood Studios in Burbank, California, No Excuses Recording Studios in Santa Monica, California, The Hit Factory and We the Best Studios in Miami, Florida, Studio at the Palms in Las Vegas, Nevada, and The Bunker Studios in Paris, France.[9] Singer-songwriters and producers Taio Cruz,[10] Alex da Kid,[11] Sean Garrett,[12] Ne-Yo,[13] Rico Love,[14] Timbaland,[14] Shontelle,[15] David Guetta,[16] and Drake[17] contributed to the album. Rihanna and L.A. Reid assembled a group of songwriters and record producers at several recording studios in Los Angeles for two weeks to write songs for Rihanna; they wrote approximately 200 songs, eleven of which were included on the album.[18] "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love" was written for Rihanna, but the song was rejected and was subsequently sent to Usher.[18] With regard to "What's My Name?", Rihanna thought Drake could understand the melody of the song and invited him to work on the track when she played him the finished recording.[19] The collaboration was originally planned to be the remix, but later it was decided to use the original version.[20] In September 2010, during a webchat with her fansite Rihannadaily.com, Rihanna described how she had completed the album: I'm done recording the whole album," Rihanna revealed during the chat, which took place on the official fansite Rihanna Daily. "I made sure not to let you down with my music! You guys are always defending me, so now you've got some great songs to justify it. I didn't want to go backward and remake 2007's Good Girl Gone Bad. I wanted the next step in the evolution of Rihanna, and it's perfect for us.[8]During the same webchat, Rihanna announced that the album would be called Loud, saying "get Loud everybody, get crazy, get excited, because I'm pumped. I'm just gonna be me, because that's what you guys love the most, and that's what makes me feel best. Just being normal, normal for me is Loud! Sassy, fun, flirty, energetic."[8] While Rihanna was filming Battleship, she explained in an interview with Entertainment Tonight, "Loud is, the word, the name of the album definitely reflects the attitude of it, it’s really sassy and flirty and it grabs your attention and that’s why I enjoy it. It takes you through a really really interesting ride. So colorful the album.” Composition Influence and sound Loud incorporates up-tempo and pop genres, ranging from dance-pop to electro-R&B, and marks Rihanna's return to her dancehall roots,[25] which was prominent on her earlier releases Music of the Sun (2005) and A Girl like Me (2006).[26] In an interview with MTV, Rihanna said "I wanted songs that were all Rihanna songs, that nobody else could do. I didn't want the generic pop record that Ke$ha or Lady Gaga or Katy Perry could just do and it'll work. I wanted a song, or songs, that were Rihanna songs, that only I could do, had that little West Indian vibe to it, had that certain tone, a certain sass and a certain energy."[27] During the promotion of Loud, Rihanna said that much of the music was born out of frustration. She explained: "When you go to a club and have to listen to bad music you revert to the liquor, because you want to have a good time. I hate having to skip a track. I wanted to make an album you can just play."[28] Songs and lyrics The opening track "S&M" is an up-tempo Eurodance song[29] produced by Norwegian producers StarGate and Sandy Vee. The song is reminiscent of Depeche Mode's 1984 song "Master and Servant"[30] and contains lyrical thoughts of sadomasochism.[30] Andy Kellman of Allmusic regarded "S&M" as a dance-pop songs for efficiently balancing "Rihanna's playful and sinister sides".[25] James Skinner of BBC Music criticized the use of sadomasochistic lyrics, which he said were not synonymous with the flirtatious appeal that Rihanna was trying to create.[31] "What's My Name?" was produced by StarGate and features guest vocals from Canadian rapper Drake. It is a mid-tempo, electro-R&B song,[32][33] and sees Rihanna's return to the "Island-pop" style of her early career; the backing track consists of heavy reggae.[34] Megan Vick of Billboard said "As much as 'What's My Name' is a joint effort, Rihanna owns the song by delivering a more polished version of her pop persona."[34] "Cheers (Drink to That)" was produced by hip hop production team The Runners.[35] Mark Savage from BBC News described the song as a funky, loping guitar groove for a night out on the town.[35] Rihanna dedicated the song to "all the semi-alcoholics in the world".[35] "Cheers (Drink to That)" samples Avril Lavigne's "I'm with You".[36] "Only Girl (In the World)" was the third song produced by StarGate. It is an up-tempo dance-pop song that incorporates elements of eurodance in its production.[22][23][37] Brad Wete, a reviewer for The Music Mix at Entertainment Weekly, described Rihanna's vocals as "seductive" and reminiscent of a "stronger, sexier version" of her 2007 single, "Don't Stop the Music".[23] "California King Bed" is a rock ballad,[38][39] while "Man Down" incorporates a heavy reggae composition.[40] Ryan Dombell from Pitchfork Media commented that "California King Bed" is a "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" type power ballad genetically engineered to soundtrack a bi-coastal Kate Hudson rom-com."[41] Jon Pareless of "New York Times" commented that in "Man Down", Rihanna plays up her West Indian accent in the electro-reggae rhythm song about shooting a man in Central Station.[42] "California King Bed" and "Cheers (Drink to That)" were produced by The Runners, while "Man Down" was produced by Shama Joseph. "Raining Men" features rap vocals from Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj. Rihanna described the song as "a really fun song. Nothing like the original. It's quite uptempo but kind of quirky and funny."[43] However, Allmusic described the R&B-Dancehall song as a low point on the album, adding that it sounds unfinished.[25] "Complicated" was produced by Tricky Stewart and Ester Dean. Leah Greenblatt from Entertainment Weekly said "Even while telling a recalcitrant man how hard he is to love, she Rihanna sounds almost buoyant, her newly expanded vocals eager to scale the song’s high-altitude house beat".[44] The final track is the sequel to Rihanna's duet with Eminem, "Love the Way You Lie". "Love the Way You Lie (Part II)", which was produced by Alex da Kid, features Rihanna as the protagonist and lead vocalist, viewing aspects of a relationship from a female perspective, unlike the original, which featured Eminem as lead vocalist and was from a male perspective. Critical reception Loud received generally positive reviews from contemporary music critics.[53] At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 given to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 67, based on 22 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".[53] Jon Pareles of The New York Times perceived a "hermetic, cool calculation" on the album, writing that it "works the pop gizmos as neatly as any album this year, maintaining the Rihanna brand".[42] New York Daily News writer Jim Farber gave the album four out of five stars, noting that it "seems effortless and free".[54] Entertainment Weekly's Leah Greenblatt commented that Loud shows Rihanna "undefeated by her worst circumstances — and finding redemption in exactly the kind of pop nirvana that made her famous in the first place".[44] James Reed of The Boston Globe called the album "an unabashed return to where Rihanna belongs: the dance floor" and stated: "As if liberating herself from the depths, she’s a force on these 11 songs".[55] Stacey Anderson of Spin commended on Rihanna's "full, healthy claim to her sexuality" and wrote that the album "offers a confident female ethos on par with the best of Shakira or Beyoncé".[51] BBC Online's James Skinner called Loud "brilliantly sassy and exuberant at times" and praised Rihanna's vocals for "elevating it from a hit-and-miss collection into something oddly arresting".[56] Genevieve Koski of The A.V. Club gave Loud a B- rating and commended Rihanna for elevating its generic sound, writing that she "does sound invigorated, delivering charismatic vocal performances of material that doesn’t always warrant them".[57] Los Angeles Times writer August Brown called it "strobe-thumping".[47] Emily Mackay of NME gave Loud seven out of 10 rating and found that its "experiments feel more organic, its tone better paced" than Rated R.[58] Chicago Sun-Times writer Thomas Conner commented that "the celebratory atmosphere of Rihanna's sassy new jams are seasoned with some of the darker flavors from Rated R".[59] USA Today's Steve Jones stated "The edgy music, which leans heavily toward dance and island sounds, fits well with her less than blissful romantic romps".[52] Pitchfork Media's Ryan Dombal complimented the album's "effervescent pop" and stated: "Her laissez-faire attitude toward hit-making on Loud can result in too-safe moves or semi-experiments that come off surprisingly great".[48] However, Andy Kellman of Allmusic found its material to be "slapdash" and "uneven", calling Loud "more an unfocused assortment of poor-to-solid songs than a unified set".[25] The Phoenix writer Daniel Brockman gave the album two out of four stars and commented that "just because it's louder stylistically doesn't mean there's more to hear".[60] The Washington Post's Chris Richards commented that Rihanna's performance lacks depth and called the album "largely forgettable".[61] Andy Gill of The Independent noted that "the more interesting tracks are those with less salacious demands on her vulnerability".[46] Despite noting some flaws in its production, Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani commended that "the subtle West Indian flavor with which Rihanna and company have smartly imbued" most of the album, adding that "Rihanna has always had trouble fitting into one genre ... and for better or worse, Rihanna continues to stylistically branch out on Loud".[50] Hugh Montgomery of The Observer commented that "Sonically, it's fairly unremarkable ... but its strident buoyancy is difficult to resist".[62] Rolling Stone writer Melissa Maerz called Rihanna "serene" and concluded "Maybe the good girl gone bad is getting better?". Commercial performance Loud debuted at number three on the US [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_200 Billboard 200] chart, with first-week sales of 207,000 copies in the United States, giving Rihanna her highest first-week sales in the US.[63] It also debuted at number one on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.[64] In its second week, the album dropped to number six on the Billboard 200 and sold 141,000 copies.[65] By its thirteenth week, the album returned to its peak at number three and sold 62,000 copies.[66] However, in its fourteenth week, the album dipped to number ten on the Billboard 200 with 45,000 copies sold.[67] In its fifteenth week, Loud rose to number eight, selling an additional 33,000 copies in the US.[68] By July 3, 2011, Loud was the eleventh-best selling album of 2011 in the United States, selling 598,000 copies between January 1, 2011 and July 3, 2011.[69] As of September, 2011, the album had sold more than 1.5 million copies in the United States.[70] On January 25, 2011, Loud was certified platinum in the United States, denoting shipments of over one million.[71] Loud ranked as Billboard magazine's ninth-most successful album of 2011 on their year-end charts.[72] Loud was a commercial success outside of the United States.[73] In Canada, it debuted at number one on the Canadian Albums Chart,[74] selling 27,000 copies in its first week.[75] Loud sold more than 80,000 units in Canada, achieving platinum status by the first week of December 2010.[76] By September 8, 2011, Loud had sold more than 240,000 copies in Canada.[77] In France, the album debuted at number three with first-week sales of 17,304 copies.[78] By its sixth week on the French charts, Loud achieved platinum status, reaching the 100,000 copies mark.[79] In its second week on the Australian Albums Chart, Loud was certified platinum for shipments of over 70,000 copies.[80] In Italy, the album reached number eleven.[81] It became Rihanna's highest charting album there until her sixth studio album Talk That Talk (2011) surpassed the record. Loud was her third consecutive number-one album in Switzerland.[82] Loud debuted at number two on the German Albums Chart.[83] The album debuted at number two in the United Kingdom, with first week sales of 91,000 units.[84] In its seventh week on the chart, Loud reached number one, giving Rihanna her second UK number-one album. After seven weeks of sales, the album became the fourth best-selling album of 2010 in the UK.[85] The album had sold 1,800,000 copies in the United Kingdom by September 4, 2011.[86] By December 16, 2011, Loud was certified six-times platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), marking shipments of 1.8 million copies to retailers.[87] It was the biggest selling R&B / hip hop album of 2011 in the UK.[88] As of October 2011, the album had sold over 8 million copies worldwide. Singles "Only Girl (In the World)" was released as the album's lead single on September 10, 2010.[90] The song was sent to US mainstream and rhythmic radio on September 21, 2010.[91][92] It received positive reviews from music critics, especially for its chorus and thunderous dance beats.[93] The song peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, in the UK, Canada, Australia, Austria, Belgium (Wallonia), Ireland, Israel, Italy, New Zealand, Norway and Slovakia, becoming one of her best charting songs to date.[94] At the 53rd Grammy Awards, held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on February 13, 2011, "Only Girl (In the World)" won the award for Best Dance Recording.[95] "What's My Name?", which features guest vocals by Canadian recording artist Drake, was released as the album's second single, being sent to US mainstream and rhythmic radios on September 21, 2010.[96][97] It was released as a digital download on October 29, 2010 in some European markets and in the US on November 1, 2010.[98] Music critics praised the song as some of Rihanna's best vocal work to date, noting the romantic nature of the song and its sexual tones. The song peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, giving Rihanna her eighth number-one on the chart,[99][100] while "Only Girl (In the World)" became her ninth number-one song two weeks after "What's My Name?",[101][102] making it the first time in the history of the chart that an album's first single peaked at number one after the second.[103] It reached number one in the United Kingdom and became Rihanna's fifth UK number one single and Drake's first.[104] The collaboration with Nicki Minaj, "Raining Men", was released to urban radio on December 7, 2010 as an urban radio single and third track from Loud released as a single in the US.[43] It was re-released to urban radio on January 25, 2011.[105] "Raining Men" peaked at number 48 on the US [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%26B/Hip-Hop_Songs Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs] chart.[106] "Raining Men" received mixed reviews from critics who praised the chemistry between Rihanna and Minaj but criticised the song for failing to create anything new or original.[25] "S&M", the album's fourth US single and third international single, was released to US mainstream radio on January 25, 2011.[105] Reception of "S&M" was mixed; some reviewers criticized the overt use of sexual lyrics while others noted it as a stand-out track from Loud.[107] "S&M" was remixed by several notable DJs. One remix features guest vocals by Britney Spears, which was released digitally on April 11, 2011.[108] "S&M" reached the top ten in twenty-four countries, reaching number one in Australia, Canada and on the US Hot 100 chart.[109] "S&M" became Rihanna's tenth number one song on the chart, making her the youngest recording artist to have accumulated ten number one songs in the shortest amount of time, surpassing Mariah Carey's record.[110] "California King Bed" was released as the fourth international single on May 13, 2011,[111] and as the sixth US single. It was sent to US Hot/Modern adult contemporary radio on May 16, 2011.[112] It is a ballad, which has influences from rock and R&B. Critics praised Rihanna's vocal performance,[46] and some called it a powerful ballad, comparing it to Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" (1998).[48] The song peaked at number four in Australia and New Zealand,[113][114] number eight on the UK Singles Chart[115] and 37 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.[116] "Man Down" was released as the fifth international single in some European countries in July 2011 and was released to US rhythmic and urban radios on May 3, 2011.[117][118][119] "Man Down" received positive reviews from critics, who called it a return to Rihanna's Caribbean-tinged rhythm. It is a reggae ballad. Before its official release, the song debuted on the US Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at number 84 on April 9, 2011[120] and peaked at number nine.[121] "Man Down" also reached a peak of 59 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. In France, it peaked at number one for five consecutive weeks.[122] On July 24, 2011, Rihanna announced the release of "Cheers (Drink to That)" as the seventh and final single from the album.[123] The single was released to US mainstream and rhythmic radio on August 2, 2011.[124] The song peaked at number seven on the US Billboard Hot 100,[125] and number twelve on the US Pop Songs chart. The song has received positive reviews from music critics, who praised the interpolation of Avril Lavigne's "I'm with You" and also commented that it would be a successful club song due to its lyrical content.[125] Other charted songs Upon the release of Loud, the non-single track "Love the Way You Lie (Part II)", which features guest vocals from American rapper Eminem, debuted and peaked at number nineteen on the Canadian Hot 100.[126] The song is the sequel to "Love the Way You Lie" and features Rihanna as the main vocalist. It received positive reviews from music critics, some noting Rihanna's commanding vocals.[127] Rihanna performed the song live for the first time as part of a medley with "What's My Name?" and "Only Girl (In the World)" at the American Music Awards of 2010 on November 21, 2010[128] and again at the 53rd Grammy Awards on February 13, 2011 as part of a medley with "I Need a Doctor" performed by Eminem, Dr. Dre, Adam Levine from Maroon 5, and Skylar Grey.[129] "Fading" also charted at number 187 on the UK Singles Chart upon the release of the album.[130] The song was received positively by music critics, many of whom praised the compositional production and compared it to songs by Aaliyah and Faith Evans.[131] "Fading" was performed on select dates of the Loud Tour. Release and promotion Loud was released on November 12, 2010, in four separate editions: a Standard Edition; a Deluxe Edition, packaged in a digipak exclusively for the US and Australia, that features a 30-minute "Making of the album" DVD; a Couture Edition containing the deluxe edition of Loud with a deluxe cover art lithograph; and a box set with enhanced clear couture cover and a full-size photo book.[133] An Ultra Couture Edition was also produced, containing a copy of the Deluxe Edition of Loud signed by Rihanna, the MP3 download of Loud on street date and all the features of the Couture Edition. The Ultra Couture Edition sold out and is no longer available.[134] An explicit version of Loud was also released and features a Parental Advisory label due to some of the lyrical content.[135] The Japanese edition of the album was released with two additional remixes of "Only Girl (In the World)".[136] The piano version of "Love the Way You Lie (Part II)" was only available with the iTunes edition of the album. However, the version which features Eminem was available for purchase. Live performances Rihanna embarked on a promotional tour across Europe and North America to promote the album's release. The singer performed "Only Girl (In the World)", the lead single, live for the first time in North America on Saturday Night Live on October 30, 2010, and debuted the second single, "What's My Name?", later on in the show.[138][139] The following day in the United Kingdom, Rihanna sang "Only Girl (In the World)" on series seven of The X Factor.[140] Rihanna performed "Only Girl (In the World)" at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2010 in Madrid, Spain, on November 7, 2010,[141] on The X Factor in Italy on November 9, 2010,[142] and on Le Grand Journal in France on November 10, 2010.[143] On November 11, 2010, Rihanna appeared on a pre-recorded edition of The Graham Norton Show in the United Kingdom, where she gave an interview and sang "Only Girl (In the World)".[144] On November 15, before the album's US release, Rihanna reprised her performance of "What's My Name?" for MTV's The Seven, live from Times Square, New York City.[145] The next day, Rihanna performed "What's My Name?" on The Late Show with David Letterman.[146] On November 17, 2010, Rihanna was interviewed and performed "Only Girl (In the World)" and "What's My Name?" on Good Morning America.[147] Rihanna performed a medley of "Love the Way You Lie (Part II)", "What's My Name?" and "Only Girl (In the World)" at the American Music Awards of 2010 on November 21, 2010, where she won the award for Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist.[128] Rihanna opened with an acappella version of "Love The Way You Lie Part II".[148] On December 11, 2010, Rihanna returned to series seven of the UK's The X Factor, to perform "Unfaithful" with finalist Matt Cardle, as well as a solo of "What's My Name?".[149] The finale was watched by fifteen million viewers; however, the episode generated thousands of complaints about Rihanna's choice of outfit and sexual performance.[150] Rihanna performed the song with Drake for the first time at the 53rd Grammy Awards on February 13, 2011.[151] Rihanna also appeared at the 2011 BRIT Awards on February 15, 2011, where she performed "S&M" for the first time, as a medley with "Only Girl (In the World)" and "What's My Name?".[152][153] Rihanna was requested to "tone down" her performance of "S&M" by the show's producers, and she performed only one verse and chorus in between "Only Girl (In The World)" and "What's My Name?". The BRIT Awards corporation wanted to avoid receiving complaints similar to those received by the X-Factor.[154] Rihanna was a special guest at the NBA All Star Game on February 20, 2011, where she performed a medley of "Umbrella", "Only Girl (In the World)", "Rude Boy", "What's My Name?" (with Drake) and "All of the Lights" (with Kanye West).[155] Rihanna performed "California King Bed" in the style of a country music song for the first time with Sugarland front woman Jennifer Nettles, during the ACM Awards held by the Academy of Country Music on April 3, 2011.[156] She was a guest on the tenth season of the US series American Idol on April 14, 2011, where she performed "California King Bed".[157] Rihanna promoted "California King Bed" with performances in Milan, Paris and Hamburg, because she was appointed ambassador for Nivea skincare.[158][159] Rihanna opened the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Music_Awards Billboard Music Awards] on May 22, 2011, performing the remix of "S&M" with Britney Spears at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.[160] The performance attracted complaints about the overt sexual nature of the broadcast on a publicly-owned television channel.[161] Rihanna performed on NBC's Today show on May 27, 2011 as part of a Summer Concert Series. She performed "S&M", "Only Girl (In the World)", "What's My Name?" and "California King Bed". Tour To further promote Loud, Rihanna embarked on her fourth concert tour, the Loud Tour, in June 2011, having announced it on February 9, 2011.[163] The tour comprised 101 show dates, 32 in North America, 1 in Central America, 4 in South America and 64 in Europe.[164][165] Tickets sold well in the United Kingdom and some additional shows were added. She performed ten shows at London's O2 Arena.[166] Rihanna was interviewed by Ryan Seacrest on American Idol, and talked about the design of the stage, stating: "We've just designed the stage and we have a section that we are building ... where the fans can actually be in the show and in the stage and be closer than they've ever been. It's real VIP."[167] The North American leg of the tour began on June 4, 2011 in Baltimore, United States.[168] Originally, J. Cole and Cee Lo Green were planned as supporting acts for the North American leg. However, Green left the tour, citing schedule conflicts.[169] Rappers Drake, Kanye West and Jay-Z made guest appearances on some dates to perform their collaborations "What's My Name?", "Run This Town", "All of the Lights" and "Umbrella", respectively.[170][171] The tour was received positively by critics, with some calling it "Rihanna's best tour yet". Jane Stevenson of the Toronto Sun commented that "the two-hour, larger-than-life show lived up to the billing."[172] Jon Brean of the Minneapolis "Star Tribune" remarked, "The Barbadian singer is more visually and vocally dynamic than she has ever been before." Track listing Japan bonus tracks iTunes bonus tracks Deluxe edition bonus Album artwork Rihanna-loud-cover.jpg|The main album. Loud Deluxe edition.jpg|The deluxe edition of Loud. Category:Albums